Wetlands of British Columbia: a Guide to Identification
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Wetlands of British Columbia Order Form Queen’s Printer Government Publications Services PLEASE SUBMIT THIS FORM TO: Government Publications Services Queen’s Printer # 7610002978 or LMH52 PO Box 9452 Stn Prov Govt Pricing $28.95 ea. Victoria, BC V8W 9V7 (Total: $37.40) includes Shipping and Applicable Taxes Telephone: 250 387-6409 or 1 800 663-6105 Contact Government Publications Services for Fax: 250 387-1120 volume discount pricing when ordering 15 or Email: [email protected] more copies. Wetlands and related ecosystems are vital components of British Columbia's ecological diversity.This useful and beautiful guide presents descriptions of more than 100 wetland, floodplain, estuarine, shallow-water, and "transitional" site associations and their plants, wildlife, and soils. It provides a common language to describe wetland ecosystems and also provides an ecological basis for the management of wetlands. Colour photographs illustrate each of the associations in the fact-sheet summary that outlines essential environmental and biological attributes. Organization Name: Organization Division or Branch: Recipient’s Name: Position/Title: Mailing Address: City: Province: Postal Code: Phone Number: Fax Number: Email Address: ( ) ( ) Payment Method: Certified or Business Cheque Enclosed I Money Order I VISA and/or MasterCard I # _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Expiry _ _ / _ _ Please enclose this form along with your certified/business cheque or money order made payable to the “Minister of Finance”. Check out our website at www.publications.gov.bc.ca LAND 52 MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK Wetlands Wetlands of British Columbia A GUIDE TO IDENTIFICATION of British Columbia A GUIDE TO IDENTIFICATION TO A GUIDE Ministry of Forests Forest Science Program Wetlands of British Columbia A GUIDE TO IDENTIFICATION William H. MacKenzie Jennifer R. Moran Ministry of Forests Forest Science Program The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the Government of British Colum- bia of any product or service to the exclusion of any others that may also be suitable. Contents of this report are presented as information only. Funding assistance does not imply endorsement of any statements or in- formation contained herein by the Government of British Columbia. National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data MacKenzie, William H. Wetlands of British Columbia : a guide to identification (Land management handbook ; 52) Includes bibliographical references: p. ISBN 0-7726-5066-7 1. Wetlands -- British Columbia - Identification. 1. Wetlands -- British Columbia - Classification. I. Moran, Jennifer R. II. British Columbia. Forest Science Program. III. Title. IV. Series. QH87.3.M32 2004 333.91'811'09711 C2003-960224-9 Citation MacKenzie, W.H. and J.R. Moran. 2004. Wetlands of British Columbia: a guide to identification. Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. No. 52. <http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Lmh/Lmh52.htm> For more information on Forest Science Program publications, visit our website at www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/index.htm © 2004 Province of British Columbia When using information from this or any Forest Science Program report, please cite fully and correctly. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This field guide could not have been completed without the assistance of many. The “silver-backs” of the provincial ecology program (Jim Pojar, Del Meidinger, Dennis Lloyd, Ray Coupé, Allen Banner, Craig Delong) were as solid ground amid the quaking mires in support of this effort. The initial vision of Allen Banner sparked like a beacon on the misty moors of ignorance. Jim Pojar and Del Meidinger were wise men leading through the shin-tangle of classification. Fieldwork was assisted by many individuals including Candice Ford, Janice Hooge, Kristi Iverson, Larrisa Puls, Danielle Colbert, Arman Mirza, and Dennis’ Angels (Dan Bissonnette, Scott Black, Nicole Brand, Mona Doney, Shane Ford, Kim Johnston, Vanessa Larson, Jessica MacDonald, David Miège and Mike Ryan). Invaluable review comments and material were provided by Marty Kranabetter, Jim Pojar, Del Meidinger, Ray Coupé, Kristi Iverson, Carmen Cadrin, Lisa Mahon, and Reg Newman. The layout of this document was initially inspired by Harris et al. (1996) Field Guide to the Wetland Ecosystem Classification for Northwest Ontario. Paul Dwyer and others at Fractal Design assisted in the design of this document. Paul Nystedt and the staff of the Production Resources Sec- tion helped guide this project to completion. The book was designed by Anna Gamble, typeset by Donna Lindenberg of Newport Bay Publishing Limited, and edited and proofread by Steven Justin Smith. Funding was generously provided by Forest Renewal BC, the Ministry of Forests Research Branch, and the Ministry of Environment Habitat Inventory Branch. iii CONTENTS Acknowledgements . iv 1 Introduction. 1 Other Sources of Information . 2 Guide Content and Limitations . 3 2 Ecology and Classification of Wetland Ecosystems . 5 Characteristics of Wetlands and Related Ecosystems . 6 A Synopsis of the Classification System. 11 Classification of Wetland and Riparian Soils . 16 Regional Classifications. 17 Summary of Sampling and Analysis Methods . 22 3 Procedures for Site Description and Identification . 25 Describing and Identifying Site Units . 26 4 Site Classes . 29 Key to Site Classes . 30 Brief Descriptions of Site Classes . 30 5 Site Associations . 37 Layout and Conventions for Site Class Descriptions . 38 Site Association Fact Sheet . 39 Taxonomic Considerations. 46 5.1 Bogs . 49 Wb01 Black spruce – Creeping-snowberry – Peat-moss . 56 Wb02 Lodgepole pine – Bog rosemary – Peat-moss . 57 Wb03 Black spruce – Lingonberry – Peat-moss. 58 Wb04 Western hemlock – Cloudberry – Peat-moss . 59 Wb05 Black spruce – Water sedge – Peat-moss . 60 Wb06 Tamarack – Water sedge – Fen moss . 61 Wb07 Lodgepole pine – Water sedge – Peat-moss. 62 Wb08 Black spruce – Soft-leaved sedge – Peat-moss. 63 Wb09 Black spruce – Common horsetail – Peat-moss . 64 Wb10 Lodgepole pine – Few-flowered sedge – Peat-moss . 65 Wb11 Black spruce – Buckbean – Peat-moss . 66 Wb12 Scheuchzeria – Peat-moss . 67 Wb13 Shore sedge – Buckbean – Peat-moss . 68 Wb50 Labrador tea – Bog-laurel – Peat-moss . 69 v Wb51 Shore pine – Black crowberry – Tough peat-moss . 70 Wb52 Common juniper – Tufted clubrush – Hoary rock-moss. 71 Wb53 Shore pine – Yellow-cedar – Tufted clubrush . 72 Additional Bog Site Associations . 73 5.2 Fens. 75 Wf01 Water sedge – Beaked sedge. 82 Wf02 Scrub birch – Water sedge . 83 Wf03 Water sedge – Peat-moss . 84 Wf04 Barclay’s willow – Water sedge – Glow moss . 85 Wf05 Slender sedge – Common hook-moss . 86 Wf06 Slender sedge – Buckbean . 87 Wf07 Scrub birch – Buckbean – Shore sedge. 88 Wf08 Shore sedge – Buckbean – Hook-moss. 89 Wf09 Few-flowered spike-rush – Hook-moss . 90 Wf10 Hudson Bay clubrush – Red hook-moss. 91 Wf11 Tufted clubrush – Star moss . 92 Wf12 Narrow-leaved cotton-grass – Marsh-marigold . 93 Wf13 Narrow-leaved cotton-grass – Shore sedge . 94 Wf50 Narrow-leaved cotton-grass – Peat-moss . 95 Wf51 Sitka sedge – Peat-moss . 96 Wf52 Sweet gale – Sitka sedge . 97 Wf53 Slender sedge – White beak-rush . 98 Additional Fen Site Associations . 99 5.3 Marshes . 101 Wm01 Beaked sedge – Water sedge. 108 Wm02 Swamp horsetail – Beaked sedge . 109 Wm03 Awned sedge . 110 Wm04 Common spike-rush . 111 Wm05 Cattail . 112 Wm06 Great bulrush . 113 Wm07 Baltic rush . 114 Wm50 Sitka sedge – Hemlock-parsley . 115 Wm51 Three-way sedge . 116 Additional Marsh Site Associations. 117 5.4 Swamps . 121 Ws01 Mountain alder – Skunk cabbage – Lady fern . 128 Ws02 Mountain alder – Pink spirea – Sitka sedge . 129 Ws03 Bebb’s willow – Bluejoint. 130 vi Ws04 Drummond’s willow – Beaked sedge . 131 Ws05 MacCalla’s willow – Beaked sedge. 132 Ws06 Sitka willow – Sitka sedge . 133 Ws07 Spruce – Common horsetail – Leafy moss . 134 Ws08 Subalpine fir – Sitka valerian – Common horsetail. 135 Ws09 Black spruce – Skunk cabbage – Peat-moss . 136 Ws10 Western redcedar – Spruce – Skunk cabbage . 137 Ws11 Spruce – Subalpine fir – Skunk cabbage . 138 Ws50 Pink spirea – Sitka sedge . 139 Ws51 Sitka willow – Pacific willow – Skunk cabbage . 140 Ws52 Red alder – Skunk cabbage. 141 Ws53 Western redcedar – Sword fern – Skunk cabbage . 142 Ws54 Western redcedar – Western hemlock – Skunk cabbage. 143 Ws55 Yellow-cedar – Mountain hemlock – Skunk cabbage . 144 Additional Swamp Site Associations . 145 5.5 Shallow-waters. 147 5.6 Estuarine Associations . 155 Em01 Widgeon-grass . 162 Em02 Glasswort – Sea-milkwort . 163 Em03 Seashore saltgrass . 164 Em04 Seaside plantain – Dwarf alkaligrass. 165 Em05 Lyngbye’s sedge. 166 Em06 Lyngbye’s sedge – Douglas’ water-hemlock . 167 Ed01 Tufted hairgrass – Meadow barley . 168 Ed02 Tufted hairgrass – Douglas’ aster . 169 Ed03 Arctic rush – Alaska plantain . 170 Additional Estuarine Site Associations . 171 5.7 Flood Associations . ..